Pont-Farcy lies to the east, Saint-Lô to the north, Vire to the South-East and Granville to the west.

Henry I, King of England and Duke of Normandy, granted Villedieu to this order in the 12th century.

By the early 14th century, the Corporation of the Coppersmiths of Villedieu was officially recognized by the Kings of France.

A major reason of their support was that it abolished customs duties between French regions; before the Revolution, copper pans exported from Villedieu to Brittany, 50 km (31 mi) away, faced higher import duties than copper pans from Portugal.

A delegation of women negotiated with him: the inhabitants were given a short time to hide their valuables, and the Chouan soldiers then plundered the town for food and clothing.